The tread of a typical tire is divided into multiple tread blocks. The tread blocks are raised, and support the load of the vehicle. The tread blocks are arranged in multiple rows around the circumference of the tire, known as “ribs”. The ribs are separated from each other by circumfrential grooves. Along each rib, each tread block within that rib is separated from adjacent tread blocks. The gap between the adjacent tread blocks is referred to as a lateral groove.
As a tire rotates on a road surface during vehicle operation, noise is generated. In particular, as the tire contacts the road surface, the individual tread blocks create air disturbances upon impact with the road. This creates noise at multiple frequencies, broadly referred to as “tire noise”.
There are multiple sources of tire noise, including the impact of the tread block on the road surface, the vibration of the tire carcass, and air disturbances which occur as the tread blocks become compressed by the weight of the vehicle, and expand into the grooves separating adjacent tread blocks.
It is desirable to minimize tire noise. This can be accomplished by an optimal tread design, thereby reducing the amplitude of the sound energy, or distributing the sound energy over a relatively wide spectrum of audible frequencies to make the tire noise less noticeable or less objectionable. What is needed, then, is a method and system for choosing a tread design with improved noise characteristics.